Family Holiday

We are blessed to celebrate an extended Christmas with family! Gramma and Grandpa (Amy's parents) traveled to Tennessee to spend a few days with our gaggle and celebrate the Holidays.

We had an wonderful time and were thoroughly spoiled - Gramma and Grandpa certainly stayed busy! The kids enjoyed outings to the bowling ally and Fun Zone jumpers, neighborhood walks, new movies and books, remote control car races, magic tricks, backyard soccer (enjoying our 60+ degree temperatures), sharing of gifts, delicious baked goodies and holiday dinner. Gramma and Grandpa also took care of absolutely everything with the kids and around the house, which is no small feat, allowing Amy to rest on the couch (let's keep that baby in!).
Bonus: Mike and Amy were able to get away for a Birthday date night!

Thank you so much for a fantastic visit!
We love you!

The Bump - 32 weeks

Bed rest started a bit earlier than we had hoped, but it seems to be doing the trick to calm contractions.
Only 35 more days of bed rest!
(Praying for 37+ weeks of pregnancy!)

Ginger Train

All the kids had fun making their Christmas Ginger Train . . .
the decorative candy didn't last very long and now they're eager to smash it apart and eat the rest :)


*Happy Birthday to our wonderful Daddy/ Husband, Mike!!!*

Family Portrait

Christmas

Christmas morning was full of excitement at our house.
After Church and a Christmas Eve Jesus Birthday celebration (cake), the kids were eager to get to bed in anticipation of the next day.
They woke, practically jumping with enthusiasm, and raced to open the wrapped baby Jesus from the nativity set (our first gift of Christmas). We read the Biblical Christmas story together and hung our final Jesse Tree ornament. The kids were thrilled to discover gifts in their stockings and were overjoyed to unwrap presents from under the tree. Opening Christmas gifts with seven kids is very exciting!
The remainder of the day was spent building new Lego sets, setting up hot-wheel tracks, dressing-up, and playing our new family games.
Christmas dinner was shared with our church family and local homeless guests - it was a blessing to share a meal together.

We had a very fun weekend of celebration!
We hope you had a blessed Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

31

We are 31 weeks (7-months)

31 weeks has been a big milestone in recent pregnancies . . . Davis was born at 31 weeks.
We are thankful for God's protection over our son Davis.

We are praying to carry this newest little one many more weeks :)

I am not currently on an official "bedrest", I'm on the "be-smart-and-take-it-super-easy rest".
I am staying off my feet as much as possible, covering this little one in prayers, and taking herbs to calm irregular contractions.
Our official "bedrest" is planned to begin in two weeks.
We are incredibly grateful for friends who have stepped in to help us take-it-easy.

Handmade

Handmade this season:

Made by Kids:
Each year, our kids make ornaments to give as gifts. They are always so proud to participate in gift giving. Our tree is covered in their handmade ornaments!

Wooden painted ornaments

Lego Ornaments (all wrapped up, we'll take a picture after they're opened :)

Gifts: ballet bags, purses and dancing scarves for the girls.


Stockings:


Ornaments: each child has red felt hand ornaments - Hiwot and Tesfaye now have them too!

Keeping Christ

In Ethiopia, the Christmas holiday (celebrated on January 7th) is stripped down to it's pure essence. There is no Santa, decorated trees, stockings or snowmen . . . Christmas is celebrated as a religious holiday. People gather in churches for half-day worship services, the remainder of the day is spent in family celebration: dancing, singing, playing sports and feasting together (doro wat). No one is distracted by the holiday hoopla we allow to consume our lives.

Last year in the orphanage, Hiwot and Tesfaye were, for the first time in their lives, exposed to Santa. The compound security guard donned a Santa suit to introduce the kids to this American Christmas tradition, to help with their transitioning to American culture and celebration. We have heard stories of children arriving home in America questioning why Santa didn't come to Ethiopia, and why Jesus isn't celebrated at Christmas. The American Christmas traditions seem so far removed from the pure essence of the holiday.

We asked Tesfaye how he celebrated Christmas in Sidama. He replied that they didn't celebrate Christmas . . . he then clarified that they didn't have a Christmas tree in Sidama, so they didn't have Christmas. They walked to church and ate good food together. We have much to learn from our children and the culture they bring into our home: Christmas should not be about the decorations, Christmas should be a celebration of Christ: the amazing gift of love from God.

We hope to preserve a Christ focus these holiday celebrations.

Christmas at the Orphanage (1/07/11)
Hiwot and Tesfaye in traditional Ethiopian clothing

Sisters

Cookie Cheer

With 7 eager helpers, we baked and decorated 8 dozen Christmas cookies in record time . . .
We also consumed 8 dozen Christmas cookies in record time!

We'll have to make a few more batches this season :)

State of the Art

Kolpin, age 27 months
Maegli, age 3 years 11 months: "Mommy with a haircut"
Hiwot, age 4 years 5 months: "Princess Hiwot and Princess Maegli"
Burke, age 4 years 11 months: "David and Goliath"
Davis, age 5 years 8 months: "Leonardo DaVinci"
Tesfaye, age 6 years 7 months: "Hunters and Deer"
Hendrick, age 7 years 10 months: "Batman"

The Bump - 30 weeks

We're hoping to make it another 7+ weeks!
Trying our best to take it easy . . . our planned bedrest is just 3 weeks away.

Babe is measuring big! (two weeks ahead)
Don't come too early!

Early Christmas

We were really glad to be able to celebrate an early Christmas with Grandpa (Mike's Dad) over the weekend. We will miss seeing our families over the holidays, unable to travel due to the pregnancy, so really treasured this early celebration with Grandpa.

On Saturday evening, we braved the low temperatures and traveled to Memphis to enjoy Zoo Lights - it was magical night at the zoo amidst spectacular lights, free tram rides, and hot cocoa. While at the zoo, we had another opportunity to chat with St. Nicholas (who informed us that when people call him "St. Nicholas" he says he is from Greece, if called "Santa Claus" he says he's from Atlanta and the Coca-Cola Company :)

Sunday, we celebrated together with a few early Christmas gifts. The kids excitement was too fun :) They were literally bouncing off the walls! The kids were thrilled to give their hand-painted ornaments to Grandpa. The big boys spent the remainder of the day playing with their new building sets (and have spent many hours since building new creations - awesome!).
*Grandpa also fixed and refinished our treasured (30+ year-old) indoor wood slide as a special gift.
Thanks Grandpa!

* Check out Davis' RIGHT HAND!!! *
It's straight :)
(his Lego build is impressive too)

Nutcracker

I had the absolute pleasure of taking my little ballerinas to see a live Nutcracker performance; a special girls night out!
The girls selected their most twirly dresses to wear and were giddy with anticipation before the show. After the orchestra began the familiar Tchaikovsky suite and the curtain was raised, Maegli was absolutely enthralled, on the edge of her seat for the entire performance. Hiwot sat in my lap, dancing along copying each arm movement, and asking if it was a movie :)

After the show, we purchased souvenir ornaments: Hiwot said she liked the Nutcracker best, Maegli's favorite was Clara. I hope they'll remember their first stage ballet fondly in the coming years as we bring out these special ornaments each Christmas.

Snow!

Hendrick led the way; Hiwot and Tesfye got to play in the snow!!!

Snow came again . . . and this time we were able to play a bit before it all melted.
Maybe next time we'll have enough for sledding :)